


Demons

by fictionaldowney



Category: Charlie Bartlett (2007)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-21
Updated: 2014-05-21
Packaged: 2018-01-26 01:33:32
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,837
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1669823
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fictionaldowney/pseuds/fictionaldowney
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Nathan Gardner regains his teaching position, but cannot escape his want for the bottle.  The weekend before he's to go back to work, he spends a night in a local bar that sets a different sort of life in motion.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Demons

Friday night in mid, unseasonably warm October. Right now there were high school footballs games being played, couples on dates, husbands and wives playing with their children…but Nathan was seated at a bar, his second scotch in hand. This wasn't Nathan's usual haunt, but he had stupidly agreed to go out with a couple of casual friends and this was where the night led him. They told him he needed to "get out there" – he hated that phrase – as well as celebrate getting his old job back. Steven and Jeff were actually out on the small dance floor trying desperately to flirt with a group of women. Nathan just shook his head and looked back down into his glass.

He had tried so hard to stop drinking after the fiasco with Charlie, but he was weak. With his ex-wife still riding his back and the superintendent unhappy about his reinstatement as a teacher, he wasn't in the mood to try and "fix himself." He had just set the empty tumbler down when he heard the barstool next to him move. He sighed, hoping it wasn't some chatty creeper who struck out with the women present in the bar.

"Tequila," a voice, very much not male, said. "Coconut if you have it…and pineapple juice."

"In it?" the bartender asked.

"No, chaser. I know, it's girly." After a moment Nathan, who was only looking at the wooden bar top, saw two shot glasses placed next to him. "Thank you," the woman said. He watched her manicured hand lift the glass with the tequila, then the one with the pineapple juice. She nearly slammed them down when she was finished. "Well, that's a start," she said to herself.

Nathan looked up at her, curiosity getting the best of him. He began to wish for the chatty creeper. The woman was brunette with dark eyes and berry stained lips. She had heavy bangs, a neat ponytail, and was clearly going for some type of "rocker" look with her dark smoky eye makeup. Late twenties or early thirties he guessed…and she realized he was looking at her.

"Are you going to say something or just keep looking?" she asked, somewhat amused.

"Ah, sorry," he stammered. "Didn't mean…sorry." He waved for the bartender. "Same."

"Amaretto sour," she said quickly, not wanting the bartender to leave without getting her something else. They were served at the same time and when she took her drink she looked at Nathan. "See ya." He tried not to, but he watched as she walked away. She was in a little black dress, a generously low cut one that hugged her curves, and black heels.

The establishment wasn't the small quiet bar Nathan was used to, but it wasn't like one of the downtown clubs either. It fell somewhere in between. It was crowded and loud, people were dancing and carrying on, but Nathan was able to keep to himself…especially since his so-called "friends" had forgotten about him. As long as he could drink, he was fine.

An hour passed and the woman once again wound up beside him. "If you're not going to move from this stool, you're doing a shot with me."

"Uh, no, I'm good," Nathan said, completely avoiding eye contact with her.

She pushed herself into his line of sight, wanting to get a better look at him in the dim light. "I don't think so," she said, obviously tipsy. "Two…cherry tootsie pops!" she said, holding her hand up in the air. A minute or so later, there was a shot in front of each of them. "When a woman buys you a drink, it's only polite to take it." She nudged the shot glass closer to him and he took it…reluctantly. She smiled at him and he felt the corner of his mouth twitch upwards…this caused her to smile wider. "That's what I thought." She held up her glass and he clinked his own against it. "To a less lonely night," she said with a wink. They both downed the shot and put their glasses down.

"That actually tasted like…"

"Like being a kid, right?" She put her hand on his shoulder. "I'm Sydney. Dance with me."

"I need a lot more to drink before I can even start to think about that."

"I can arrange that…" She looked at him, waiting for a name.

He shook his head. "Nathan."

"That's not a bar name…I like that."

"Not a bar name? What does that mean?"

Sydney giggled. "It's a girl thing, but it's good…promise." She ordered two more shots and Nathan let himself loosen up a little. "So, why are you drinking all alone on a Friday night, Nathan?"

"I'm not alone…exactly." He looked out at the dance floor. "My 'friends' are…" He shook his head. "…trying too hard. Meanwhile, same question to you."

"I'm not alone either…your friends seem to be attempting to hit on mine." She sat, fumbling a little, on the stool next to Nathan's once again. "Girls' night," she said sarcastically. "They sorta forced me."

"Me too, but, uh, guys' night or…something like that."

Sydney took a long, deep breath, then turned her whole body toward Nathan's. The music changed to a song she loved and she gave him the best puppy dog eyes she could muster. "We could be miserable together…out there."

"Look, uh…" He struggled to remember her name for a moment. "…Sydney. I really don't think…"

"Exactly! Let's not think." She grabbed his hand. "Neither of us want to be here, we've both had enough to drink to make this plausible…pretty please?"

He shrugged, then looked at his friends. They were trying to dance with the women around them, while this very attractive woman was begging for him to do the same. If anything, maybe this would get them off his back. "Okay." Sydney beamed as she took his arm and all but dragged him out into the crowd.

"I'm a terrible dancer," she laughed. "Fair warning." She stumbled a bit, trying to dance on her own and Nathan watched her, barely moving his feet. Without warning, Sydney flung her arms around his neck and her dancing style changed. Nathan didn't even realize he was putting his arms around her until he felt his body pressing against hers. "Mmm…" He could barely hear her above the music, but the sound was there. She ran her hands along his arms. "Strong," she said with a coy smile. "You don't dress how you're built, do you?"

"I don't put much thought into it," he answered honestly. He was in a rumbled button down shirt, his tie crooked, and pants that were about a size too big.

"Good thing you're hot then," she added, her finger tracing his jaw line. Nathan blushed instantly. She giggled. "Like you don't know it." She closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them he looked…nervous.

"I…"

"Not hit on much?"

"Not hit on ever." He inhaled her perfume, light with a strange hint of chocolate. He didn't mean for it to happen, but his body reacted. What could have been the highest form of embarrassment was overlooked as Sydney's lips found his. It was closed mouthed and quick, but it was enough to make him start to let some lines blur.

"Let's remedy that, hm?" She pulled him off the dance floor and back to the bar. A few shots later and he was losing the remaining tenseness in his muscles. "My fiancé dumped me for a man," Sydney confessed. They had moved to a table and she was sitting on his lap, nuzzling his neck. His hand was on her backside. "The 'new boyfriend' left me a couple of days ago…well, sort of…" Her tongue circled his ear.

"Assholes," Nathan said, his eyes half closed as he enjoyed the feelings running through him. "My ex-wife slept with anything that had a pulse…"

"Bitch." She moved her hands to his face and looked at him. "I know how you want to kiss me…you should just do it."

"Yeah?"

She licked at her upper lip. "Yeah…" Her word was swallowed as Nathan kissed her, his tongue searching out hers. Without breaking the kiss, she moved her body so she straddled him, grinding against his growing erection. She moaned into his whiskey soaked mouth, her body aching with want, then broke the kiss and rose from his lap. She saw the look on his face and bent down to kiss him again. "Just need…little girls room…" She winked and steadied herself as she walked to the restrooms. When she returned, she grabbed his tie, pulling him up from his seat. "Dance," she said. This time she didn't have to ask twice.

They shamelessly ground against one another to the beat of the music. Nathan's hands were curious and Sydney didn't bat them away…hers were just as curious as his. Both sets of friends noticed them and laughed it off as drunken fun, which it most certainly was…for a while.

"I haven't…no fun for…" It wasn't the alcohol affecting Nathan's words, it was Sydney's fingers running along his waistband.

"I'm gonna offer you something men would kill for," Sydney said in his ear.

"Oh?" He cocked an eyebrow.

"I got something from the…vending machine in the bathroom…"

Nathan knew what she meant immediately and he became rock hard. He hadn't felt like this in years…he wanted the contact so much it hurt. "Not nice to tease."

"Not teasing," Sydney purred. "No last names, no phone numbers…I could care less what you make a year or even if you're a fucking serial killer." She kissed him, slow and wet. "Have you ever slept with a stranger from a bar?" He shook his head. "Me either…and I want to."

"I…"

"Don't tell me you don't want to feel good for a night…"

"I do," he growled, unable to help himself.

"You've been hard a few times tonight, Nathan…"

"Have you been wet?" He couldn't believe those words passed from his lips. She guided his hand under the hem of her dress, nobody noticing them. "Fuck," he breathed, feeling the answer to her question. He stumbled for a moment, unsure if it was due to the alcohol or his awakened hormones.

"No strings." She stroked him through his pants.

"Where?"

The tone in her voice was desperate and needy. "It doesn't matter…" She kissed him once more and grabbed his erection as she did so. "I'm betting it's been a while, hm?" He nodded, his eyes closed and his head tipped back. "Might not last if we don't…" The ill fitting pants were a great help as Sydney's hand dipped below the waistband, beyond his boxers, and found his bare length. His body shuddered and his breath hitched. "Poor baby," she cooed.

Nathan's hand went back under her dress. "And you?"

"He was gone for a couple of months before he ended…" She gasped as he stroked the damp satin between her legs. "…it."

Nathan pulled her closer, still moving enough to look like they were dancing. He put his lips next to her ear and breathed, "I want to touch you."

"You are."

"I want to _feel_ you."

Sydney pulled back just a little so she could look him in the eye. "I'm not saying 'no' am I?" It was all Nathan needed to hear. Her soft hand still stroking him, he pushed her panties aside and slid a finger inside her. "Fuck," she panted.

He bit at his lips as they remained in the crowd, their hands working one another into a frenzy. "If you don't stop I'm gonna…"

"That's the point." She licked his neck. "Quick mess now means a longer time with me later."

"Christ…you're so…ah…" He felt a surge of new moisture on his finger and he knew he'd made her come…he followed suit, not caring where the mess went.

"Good boy," Sydney whispered, her cheeks glowing. "I've got it, baby." She slyly removed her hand and went to the restroom again. Nathan worried she wouldn't come back.

After a few minutes, he went back to the bar, convinced she had, indeed, left. "'Nother," he slurred, his body as light as his head. He hadn't even bothered touching himself for longer than he could remember and tonight…a complete stranger got him off in a crowd of a hundred or so people. "Hallucinating?" he asked himself as yet another tumbler appeared before him.

"I was real last time I checked," Sydney said, wrapping her arms around him from behind. She kissed the side of his neck. "Feel good?"

Nathan turned on the stool and took her into his arms, kissing her unabashedly. His tongue sought out all it could and his hands wandered her back. "Who are you?" he asked.

Sydney shook her head. "I told you. I'm Sydney." He wasn't going to get any more from her. "We're two lonely people on a night out neither of us wanted…" She smiled. "We're one another's future good memories with no regrets."

"This…this doesn't happen," he said. "Happens in movies and, well, pornos and shit…" Sydney laughed. "…but real life?"

"Changing your mind?"

"No!" he said far too eagerly.

"Good." She took his hand and led him back to where they were before so she could sit on his lap again. "I want you to tell me what you wanna to do me."

"What?"

"We've both had plenty to shut our filters off…" She nuzzled into his neck again, lightly nipping at his flesh. "What are you thinking about doing to me right now?" She sucked his earlobe. "Be dirty, baby." She felt the muscles in his chest tighten for a moment.

"I…" Drunk as he was, he just couldn't.

"Please, baby," Sydney purred. She was trying to use his name as little as possible; it kept things more anonymous. "Every dirty little thing you've wanted since your ex did what she did…tell me."

"I wanna bury my cock inside you," he confessed, unable to stop. Sydney was right, the filters were off. "I want to fuck you…I want to make you come all over me…" He was kissing her chest, his tongue dipping into her cleavage. "I want you to clench around me and make me…"

"Make you what?"

"I wanna fucking explode," he growled.

Satisfied, she rose from his lap and grabbed his arm. They went out the front door of the bar and were immediately illuminated by the streetlight. "Jesus, you're fucking gorgeous," Sydney all but moaned. "In there yeah, but…fuck, Nathan…" He blushed, thinking the same of her, but also thinking she was putting him on. "You don't believe me." She saw the few lines around his eyes, the traces of gray in his hair and stubble…and it made her knees weak. "You're in your prime." He smiled at her and that was it. "Do that…do that a lot more." She wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him again, heat and want flooding her body.

"You're beautiful," he breathed. "I can't…fuck, I…"

"Oh, yes you can, Nathan…" She looked around and smiled. "Back here." She led him to side of the building. The bar was in a nice enough area that it wasn't a typical "dirty" alleyway, just a throughway between buildings…with a fence to keep anyone from seeing them. There was one dim light above them and she saw doubt in his eyes for a moment.

He pressed her body to the brick wall with gentle force. "Why me?" he asked, his voice raspy with want and tainted by confusion. "All the guys in there, all the younger, better looking…"

Sydney put her finger to his lips. "First of all, I repeat, you're gorgeous. Younger men are a pain in the ass…" Her body trembled for a dozen different reasons. "…and you looked broken."

"You've no idea," he whispered.

"Two broken people…" She rubbed his back as he began to place hot, wet kisses along her neck…he found a spot between her neck and shoulder that always made her back arch and she pressed into him. "…they should be able to fix something for a bit when put together, don't you think?"

"Never thought of…" He kissed her lips, chaste at first. "…it that way.." His kisses deepened and Sydney moaned softly into his mouth. "Tell me you want me," he whispered, needing to hear it, needing to know this was real.

"I want you," she said surely. "Moment I saw you…crazy…stupid…"

"No…" He reached up under her dress to stroke her again…he found no barrier in the way.

"In my purse," she whispered. "So's…" Nathan understood and backed off, letting her bend and rifle through her small black bag. She pulled out the foil packet and reached for his belt. They could hear the music from inside the bar as she released his length out into the unseasonable air.

_When the days are cold…and the cards all fold…and the saints we see…are all made of gold…_

She couldn't help but smile when she looked down. "Knew what I felt was good."

_When your dreams all fail…and the ones we hail…are the worst of all…and the blood's run stale…_

He gasped as she sheathed him, even that act feeling better than anything had in years. She looked at him with full, parted lips and could see that he needed just one more nudge. She couldn't believe what this night had turned into. "It's okay, baby," she cooed, stroking his face. "Fill me. We're not making love here, no need to…be formal or anything." Nathan took her left leg and hiked it onto his hip. He ran his length along her folds for a moment, giving her the chance to change her mind. "Fuck me," she whispered.

_I want to hide the truth…I want to shelter you…but with the beast inside there's nowhere we can hide…_

Nathan slid himself inside her body and let out a low growl. He immediately

claimed her lips as he reached for her other leg and wrapped them both around his waist. "Christ," he breathed, coming up for air.

"Talk to me," she begged. "Tell me…" She wanted to hear every dirty thing he had to say to her.

_No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed…This is my kingdom come…This is my kingdom come…_

"So fucking tight," he grunted. "So wet…warm…" He had put his arms between her back and the brick wall, not wanting to hurt her. "Fuck, Syd," he cried…and she hated how he'd just said her name…like he knew her…like he could have cared for her.

"Harder," Sydney panted, wanting to break the brief spell she was under. "Your cock feels so good, baby…so hard, so big…" She got what she wanted as Nathan's thrusts increased. He held her close to him and she felt how strong he really was. The air was sobering, but her mind didn't change. Nathan looked into her eyes, he was beginning to sober as well, but his pace stayed strong, enjoying every bit of pleasure coursing thorough his body.

_When you feel my heat, look into my eyes…It's where my demons hide…It's where my demons hide…Don't get too close, it's dark inside…it's where my demons hide, it's where my demons hide…_

"You feel so good," he whispered in her ear. "Will you come for me?"

_When the curtain's call is the last of all…When the lights fade out all the sinners crawl…So they dug your grave and the masquerade…Will come calling out at the mess you made…_

"Yes," she whined, her body tensing. She bit on his shoulder to muffle herself and Nathan groaned as her walls clenched around him. "Fuck…fuck yes…Nathan…" She regretted saying his name.

"Say my name again, baby…come on me again…"

_Don't want to let you down, but I am hell bound…Though this is all for you, don't want to hide the truth…No matter what we breed, we still are made of greed…This is my kingdom come…This is my kingdom come…_

He rolled his hips, thrusting deeper within her and she did as he asked, calling out his name, knowing she shouldn't, but wanting to all the same. "So good, Nathan…so...fucking…good…"

_When you feel my heat, look into my eyes…It's where my demons hide…It's where my demons hide…Don't get too close, it's dark inside…It's where my demons hide…It's where my demons hide…_

She tightened around him again and he couldn't stop what was running through him. He kissed her, desperate for the contact, and spilled himself. "Sydney," he cried into her neck. Nathan thrust once more as his body convulsed with sheer pleasure. He said nothing else as he slid from her body and placed her feet back on the ground. They could still hear the commotion inside the bar, but it sounded worlds away. "I…"

Sydney smiled. "I know." She smoothed out her dress and picked up her purse. He took her hand and they made their way back to the front of the building.

"Staying?"

She shook her head. "I don't think so." She looked at the ground. "I don't think they'll miss me…I'll just…get a cab and…"

 _They say it's what you make, I say it's up to fate…It's woven in my soul, I need to let you go…_  
  
"Let me," Nathan said. He hailed the cab that was coming down the street.

_Your eyes, they shine so bright…I want to save their light…I can't escape this now…Unless you show me how…_

The cab stopped and Sydney opened the door. "Thank you," she said, "for the cab and…well…" She looked at him, blushing. "I said no strings, but…" Nathan's heart began to race. She put her arms around him and her lips to his ear. "…would you mind if I named my toy after you?" Nathan's eyes went wide. "Don't be embarrassed, I'm not."

"I'm not…I think I'm flattered."

"You should be…that was…" She stopped herself. "Screw it, we'll never see each other again. Nathan, you gave me the best orgasm of my life." She kissed him and he reciprocated, heat beginning to rise between them again. She pulled back. "Get home safe." She got into the cab and he watched it take her away.

_When you feel my heat, look into my eyes…It's where my demons hide…It's where my demons hide…Don't get too close, it's dark inside…It's where my demons hide…It's where my demons hide…_

**_*Demons - Imagine Dragons*_ **


End file.
